Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Video: LAPD Chief Angers Police Commission with Video to Officers After Ezell Ford Ruling

Not mentioned on Beck's list of supporters was the civilian commission, which had just rejected the chief's conclusion that the shooting of 25-year-old Ezell Ford Jr. was justified.

June 15, 2015
Video: LAPD Chief Angers Police Commission with Video to Officers After Ezell Ford Ruling

 

2 min to read


Ad Loading...

Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck stared into a camera Tuesday shortly after the Police Commission condemned an officer's fatal shooting of a mentally ill black man to offer words of encouragement to his rank-and-file cops.

“You have my support,” he said in the video message. “You have the support of the mayor. You have the support of the vast majority of the people of Los Angeles.”

Not mentioned on Beck's list of supporters was the civilian commission, which had just rejected the chief's conclusion that the shooting of 25-year-old Ezell Ford Jr. was justified. The commission found that one of the officer's tactics were so flawed that they placed the shooting out of LAPD policy, even though the officer was in a struggle with Ford over control of his gun. Police union officials and many officers were outraged by the decision, fearing it would set a new standard for how shootings are evaluated.

Beck's video raised concerns among the commissioners. When President Steve Soboroff saw the recording, he sent an email to Beck asking if the “glaring omission” of the civilian panel was purposeful.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Soboroff bristled at any suggestion that the commission didn't support officers. “To intimate that I don't care or don't have the best interests of officers — it's hurtful but it's so untrue,” Soboroff said. “It's so outrageous and so against anything that I feel or that I've ever displayed.”

Ad Loading...

Beck told Soboroff that it was not his intention to suggest that commissioners didn't back the officers.

More Patrol

POLICE Magazine graphic featuring a close-up of a tick on human skin with the headline “Tiny Creature, Big Threat” and subtitle “What officers need to know about ticks and alpha-gal syndrome.”
Patrol•November 4, 2026

The Threat That Fits Under Your Fingernail

What cops need to know about alpha-gal, the tick-borne allergy that can turn an ordinary exposure into a problem weeks or months later.

Read More →
Bradenton, Florida, Police Department’s September 2026 Officers of the Month: Sergeant Andres Perez and Officers Rosey Bautista, Michael Wall, and Alexandra Fallacaro, pictured in uniform beside American flags.
Patrol•October 30, 2026

NLEOMF Honors September 2026 Officers of the Month

Four Bradenton Police Department officers were selected as the NLEOMF Officers of the Month for September 2026 for a nighttime water rescue.

Read More →
BLACKHAWK! Mini EDC multitools displayed in tan and black, showing open pliers, knives, and other tools alongside their folded configurations against a textured gray background with the BLACKHAWK! logo.
Patrol•October 29, 2026

Blackhawk Debuts Mini EDC Pocket Multi-Tool

The Blackhawk Mini EDC Pocket Multi-Tool stows easily in pants pockets thanks to a sturdy stainless steel pocket clip and incorporates several essential/emergency tools into a single, high-mobility unit.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Team Wendy EXFIL Endurance ballistic helmet in olive green with tactical rails and chin strap, displayed alongside the Team Wendy logo and product headline against a textured black-and-gray background.
Patrol•October 23, 2026

Team Wendy Introduces the EXFIL Endurance Ballistic Helmet, Engineered to Reduce the Burden of Extended Wear

Team Wendy has launched its EXFIL Endurance, a new lightweight ballistic helmet engineered to deliver protection, comfort, and fit during demanding, extended operations.

Read More →
Collage featuring paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and emergency vehicles surrounding the First Responders Children’s Foundation logo, highlighting the organization’s support for families of first responders.
Patrol•October 22, 2026

The First Responders Children’s Foundation National First Responders Day Roll Call of Heroes Ceremony Returns to Times Square, NYC

First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), in collaboration with T-Mobile, will host the Roll Call of Heroes ceremony in Times Square to commemorate National First Responders Day on Wednesday, Oct. 28. During the event, FRCF will present 18 Hero Awards.

Read More →
Streamlight promotional graphic showcasing four lighting products: TLR-3X, PolyTac 1X, ProTac Rail Mount 1L-X, and ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro, displayed against an orange and black background with the Streamlight logo.
Patrol•October 22, 2026

Streamlight to Showcase Newest Lighting Products for Law Enforcement Professionals at IACP 2026

Streamlight will showcase its newest lights for law enforcement at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference & Expo. Featured lights will include the TLR-3 X, the PolyTac 1X, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Streamlight Portable Scene Light III featuring a tripod-mounted LED work light and close-up product view, with a badge recognizing it as the 2026 OH&S New Product of the Year winner.
Patrol•October 15, 2026

Streamlight Portable Scene Light III Wins 2026 OH&S New Product of the Year Award

Streamlight’s Portable Scene Light III has won the 2026 Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) New Product of the Year Award in the Lighting category.

Read More →
Hands insert an Adept Armor protective plate into a camouflage tactical plate carrier, demonstrating how the armor plate fits inside the vest.
Patrol•September 17, 2026

Adept Armor Introduces Two New Rifle Plates

Adept Armor has launched two new Level IV ballistic plates, the Emperor and the Archon Mark 2, which brings Adept Armor’s new Quatroid ceramic to the high-threat, performance-value center of the range at 5.2 pounds.

Read More →
Open Benchmade folding knife with a bronze-colored blade, textured dark handle, and braided lanyard resting on weathered wooden boards.
Patrol•by Wayne Parham•September 17, 2026

POLICE Product Test: Benchmade Bailout

The Benchmade Bailout is a slim, lightweight carry knife with a deep-ride pocket clip and comes in a variety of blade steels and scales. Here is a detailed review of the Taiga Green Bailout, released earlier this year.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Officer of the Month graphic honoring Deputy Lorne Juday of the Osceola County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office for July 2026, featuring a portrait of Juday in uniform.
Patrol•September 17, 2026

NLEOMF Announces July 2026 Officer of the Month

NLEOMF honored a Michigan deputy sheriff as the July 2026 Officer of the Month for rescuing a trapped driver from a burning vehicle following a Fourth of July crash.

Read More →